Poultry suction loading apparatus and method

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for sucking loading poultry into transportable compartments, protecting the poultry in loading and during transportation.

United States Patent 1 1 3,683,862

Reynolds [451 Aug. 15, 1972 1 1 POULTRY SUCTION LOADING 3,103,915 9/1963Crain et al. ..1 19/82 APPARATUS AND METHOD [72] Inventor: Frank N.Reynolds, Auburn, Maine Primary Exa'mnerAldfich MedberyAttorney-Auslander and Thomas [73] Assignee: Poultry-Vac, lnc.,Lewiston, Maine [22] Filed: Jan. 18, 1971 ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.:107,334 A method and apparatus for sucking loading poultry into,transportable compartments, protecting the [52] U S Cl 119/82 43/6 5poultry in loading and during transportation.

[51] Int. Cl. 40 Claim, 9 Drawing Figures [58] Field of Search ..l l9/82[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,568,643 3/1971 Wessinger..119/82 PATENTEDAus 15 I972 SHEET 1 [IF 5 IN VE N TOR. fmwr Mia/#010:

PATENTEDM B 1 1912 3.6831862 SHEET 2 {1F 5 ATTORAIEKi AIEmEnAus 1 5 1912SHEET 3 BF 5 PATENTEDAUBISIQYZ SHEET 4 OF 5 INVENTOR. fkAm' M Fern/040sawrw ATIMAIE/S PATENTEDMIB 151m 3.683.862

SHEET 5 0F 5 IN VE N TOR. 00m M Pmaas POULTRY SUCTION LOADING APPARATUSAND METHOD In todays poultry farming, mechanization has cut costs ofproduction. This has been brought about by, among other things,segregating'the various functions of poultry raising into specializedsegments such as maintaining laying flocks, hatching eggs and having agrower raise birds, until they are ready for market.

Each such operation is performed to maximize efficiency and permitgreatest automation of each operation.

Once birds have reached optimum or selected size, they are crated andshipped off to the processing plant to be prepared for sale to thepublic.

Until now, though, the process of crating birds for delivery has beenrather crude and done by hand, in most instances.

The process of crating birds has been fraught with many problems. Birdsin the past have often been cornered in a bird house by a catching crew,then physically grabbed and stuffed into standard poultry crates. Thecrates are then stacked and shipped via trucks to the appointeddestination.

The process of crating for conveying is expensive in terms of manuallabor and further in terms of bruising and other damage to the birdsincurred in the course of their capture and crating.

Some money-saving expedients have been employed to save labor andexpense in the bird crating process. Such techniques as the use ofspecial loader grapples on a crane to load a plurality of crates on atruck has proven of some value.

Some attempts have even been made to use a vacuum means to catch thebirds, then hand load birds into conventional crates. The later methodstill required a good deal of bird handling with its concommitant dangerof bruising the bird and the extra labor of placing the birds in crates.

The crate which has been used in the past has usually been 1 foot highby 2 feet deep and 3 feet long, each holding about 12 to 16 birds. Theupper and lower portions of the crate were spaced apart by spaced dowelsor other spacers allowing free ventilation for the birds in the crate.

The disadvantages of the old system are many. Perhaps the foremost ofthese disadvantages is the decreas ing labor available for this type ofwork. This problem has reached the acute stage. This method ofprocurement is highly conducive to bruising and losses of dead anddamaged birds due to rough handling. Smothering occurs during thecatching of the birds by piling them up in corners and during transitdue to the small amount of air movement around the densely stackedcrates. The fact that five or six birds at a time are forced through theopening of the crate when loading and are forcibly pulled from thesecrates when they are hung on the shackles in the plant, causes furtherdamage.

According to the present invention, a method and apparatus is providedwhereby a vacuum is applied to a tube or hose, the tube being largeenough to allow a bird to freely pass through it; The bird is thensucked through the hose into a container which is usually substantiallyair tight except for its special openings. The container is filled witha selected number of birds picked up by the tube. The container is thenprovided with a flow of circulating air regulated to keep a normal bodytemperature of the birds in the container while they are beingtransported to their destination.

An apparatus for effectuating bird loading requires at least astationary engine powering a high vacuum blower and possibly aircirculation in the compartment. The suction side of the blower isconnected to a plenum or air chamber. This air chamber, standingvertically, forms a common front to a number of long rectangularcompartments arranged in" a horizontal position and stacked two, side byside. The compartments sizes and number are dependent on amount of loaddesired. These compartments are enclosed at the rear by two large hingeddoors which are gas'keted to form an air tight fitting to the end ofeach individual compartment. Into these doors are fitted round portswhich correspond to the center of each compartment. The purpose of theseports is for the connection of a suitable size tubular pipe or pick uphose to transport the birds into the compartments.

Although such novel feature or features believed to be characteristic ofthe invention are pointed out in the claims, the invention and themanner in which it may be carried out may be further understood byreference to the description following and the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a view showing one method of performing the process of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of a complete apparatus of the presentinvention on a truck.

FIG. 3 is a section of FIG. 2 along lines 3-3 showing the intake ofbirds.

FIG. 4 is a rear elevation of FIG l with open gates.

FIG. 5 is a variant enlarged detail of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is an elevation of FIG. 5 at lines 6--6.

FIG. 7 is a detail of a chamber loading port-vent and viewing port.

FIG. 8 is a front elevation of another embodiment of a chamber of thepresent invention.

FIG. 9 is one means of discharging a cargo of birds of the presentinvention.

Referring now to the figures in greater detail, where like referencenumbers denote like parts in the various figures:

In FIG. 1 a master container 10 is shown affixed to a truck 11. Thecontainer 10 comprises a plurality of compartments l2 separated by apartition 13. Each compartment 12 is preferably closeable by a gasketedmaster gate 14 having a portlS for each compartment 12. The end 16, awayfrom the port 15 of the compartment 12, is closed off by the airpermeable member 17, such as a screen so that there can be no freepassage of a bird outside the compartment 12 or into the plenum chamber18.

In FIG. 7 the port 15 is shown closed with a plug 40 which includesadjustable dampers 41, 42 to regulate the flow of air in the compartment12 when the hose 23 is not inserted in the port 15.

A viewing port 43 is preferably adjacent the port 15 so that an operatormay observe the loading of the birds into the compartments 12.

Spaced apart from the compartment ends 16 is a plenum chamber 18 with aduct 19 which may lead to a stationary engine 20, capable of drawing airthrough the compartment 12.

In FIG. 5 a pump drive is seen geared to a suction pump 45 with a duct19 leading to the plenum chamber 18.

In FIG. 6 the compartment doors can be seen, their open position joinedby closure rods 47. The scoop 48 protrudes above the compartment area ofthe plenum so that it can ventilate the compartment 12 when desired orbe closed off by its damper 49 with the doors 46 so that a suction canbe caused in the compartment 12 when desired. I

The master gate 14 is closeable to cover the intake end 21 of eachcompartment.

The master gate 14 area is preferably gasketed (not shown) to preventair leakage when the gate 14 is closed and the stationary engine 20 issucking air through ports 15 or dampers 41.

When the master gate 14 is closed, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, a hose 23may be introduced into a selected port 15, the other end of whichextends into a poultry house 24. The catching crew may then load thebirds by easing them to the flared end 25 of the hose 23 where they aresucked into the selected compartment 12.

When compartment 12 has a sufficient density of birds, the hose may bemoved to another empty compartment 12, either manually or by use of theadjustable hoist 26 until the entire master container has been loaded.

The port plugs 40 may be removed one at a time to open one compartment12 at a time.

A stationary engine 20 is preferably thermostat controlled to keep aconstant selected temperature inside the compartment 12 by regulatingits air flow and/or the dampers 41 may be under thermostat control.

Once a compartment 12 has birds inside, it is important to maintain aregular flow of air so that the body heat of the birds does not raisethe internal temperature of the compartment 12 to a point where thehealth of the bird or birds is endangered.

To this end, a stationary engine 20 may be kept in constant movement,drawing air in through the ports and dampers 41 and out the enginesexhaust, once it has passed through the compartment 12.

A loaded truck 11 with a master container 10 may be brought to aprocessing plant and emptied as shown in FIG. 9 by opening the mastergate 14 and dumping the birds onto a conveyor 30.

A counter 29 may be provided within the hose 23 so that the density ofbirds in any one compartment 12 can be controlled by count, to protectthe well being of the occupant birds in a compartment. Each compartment12 may act as a separate unit for the loading and conveyance of poultry,though it is expedient to have a plurality of compartments 12 that canbe loaded successively, one at a time.

The method of loading is performed by connecting a hose 23 to the port15 of an enclosed compartment and extending it to the location of thebirds to be loaded, usually in a poultry house 24, then applying avacuum to the compartment 12 to suck the birds through the hose and intothe compartment 12. Once a selected number of birds. have filled thecompartment 12, air is circulated in the compartment 12 to maintain anormal temperature for the birds in the compartment 12. The method maybe repeated where there is a plurality of compartments 12 by removingthe hose 23 from first selected compartment 12 and connecting the hose23 to the next selected compartment 12 to load that compartment 12 withthe selected number of birds.

A preferred mode and apparatus for the loading of poultry is shown inFIG. 5. The door 14 is preferably a single unit though in the detaildoors 50 are shown with individual hinges 51 as optional way of openingthe compartments l2 individually. In FIG. 5 the hose 23 is showninserted in a port 15 with birds 60 being sucked into the compartment12. An operator may watch the loading through the viewing port 43. Thecompartment 12 is illuminated by a light 61 preferably blue so that thenormally color blind birds 60 are not affected by the light.

The birds enter the compartment 12 and rest on a folded liner 62 whichis overfolded or rolled so that it may stretch the length of thecompartment 12. One end of the liner 62 abuts a baffle 63. When thebirds have filled the entry portion of the compartment 12 the motor 64is actuated to pull the liner strap 65 allowing more birds 60 to befilled into the compartment 12 as can be seen in the lower compartment12 in which the liner 62 extends the length of compartment 12.

Below the roof of the compartment 12 is a crowd screen 66. The crowdscreen 66 may have a deflector 67 which is raised when birds 60 arebeing loaded.

As shown in FIG. 5 the crowd screen 66 may have pivots 68 to adjusttheir height to the bird 60 size being loaded.

In FIG. 8 an alternate adjustment of the crowd screen 66 is based uponsupports 69 at preset levels.

The crowd screen 66 provides a ventilator passage above the birds 60 toprevent suffocation and allow circulation of air either to warm thebirds 60 or to let 06 their body heat as the case may be.

In transit the birds may receive air through natural intake through thedoors 46 when they are open. The doors 46 may be closed and air intakemay be through the scoop 48 with its damper 49 open.

When loading birds the doors 46 may be simultaneously closed joined bythe rods 47 and the scoop damper 49 closed. All must be properlygasketed (not shown). With the doors 46 and scoop damper 49 shut,ventilation may also be had through the duct 19.

In the preferred method of unloading, upon locating at the plant hanginglines, the near doors are opened and the liners are pulled by mechanicalmeans or by hand toward the men who hang the birds.

The master container 10 may be a separate unit removable from the truckand engine 20 such as a picka-back container for use on a rail car also.The stationary engine 20 is joined by duct 19 to the plenum chamber 18into which all of the compartments 12 have an open free end 16. Athermostat (not shown) controls the constant air flow in the mastercontainer 10 when loaded with birds to maintain a proper internaltemperature to protect the birds against overheating from their ownconcentration and body warmth.

Each compartment 12, in turn, may be loaded and when full the hose 23may be manually placed in another port 15 for loading or may be assistedfor placement in a port 15 by use of an adjustable hoist 26, which alsohelps to keep the hose 23 in position while loading. The port plugs .40are replaced and the dampers adjusted for proper ventilation.

The terms and expressions which are employed are used as terms ofdescription; it is recognized, though, that various modifications arepossible.

Having thus described certain forms of the invention in some detail,what is claimed is:

l. A method for loading and carrying a plurality of poultry comprisingthe step of applying a sucking force to a mobile compartment having agenerally air tight body, extending a hose into a first opening into oneportion of such compartment to the presence of a bird, causing a vacuumthrough another opening removed from said first opening in saidcompartment, sucking said bird into said compartment through said hose,and repeating-the step of sucking birds into different portions of saidcompartment until a selected number of birds have been sucked into saidcompartment.

2. The method of claim 1 including the step of removing a plug to anopening in said compartment and introducing said hose into said opening.

3. The method of claim 2 including the step of closing said opening insaid compartment with an air permeable member, after loading said birds.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said air permeable member is adjustableand is adjusted to the needs of the birds in said compartment.

5. The method of claim 3 including the step of maintaining a continuousflow of air in said compartment.

6. The method of claim 4 including the step of maintaining a circulationand temperature in said compartment conducive to the health of the birdsin said compartment.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein a plurality of compartments aresuccessively loaded.

8. An apparatus for loading and carrying a plurality of birds comprisingat least one mobile compartment having a generally air tight bodyadapted to hold a plurality of birds; said compartment having a firstopening large enough to admit the passage therethrough of selectedbirds, said opening further having means to receive a hose, large enoughto allow passage therethrough of selected birds, and vacuum meansconnected to another opening in said compartment to suck birds throughsaid hose into said first opening of said compartment.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 also including a closed end permeable to thepassage of air.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 including a closure for said hose opening.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said closure includes adjustabledamping means.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 having air circulating means.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said air circulation means isthermostatically controlled to maintain a selected temperature in saidcompartment conducive to the health of birds in said compartment.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said vacuum means is a stationaryengine.

15. The apparatus of claim 8 including a plurality of juxtaposedcompartments of like construction.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein each compartment includes a closedend permeable to the passage of air.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein each said compartment openinincludes a closure having an opening large enoug birds.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein each compartment closure openingis adapted to receive a hose 23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein saidmaster container includes vacuum inducing means. I

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said vacuum inducing means is astationary engine.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said stationary engine and mastercontainer are unitary and mountable on a truck.

26. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said hose receiving portions aremounted on a gate, said gate adapted to close said compartments.

27. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said closed ends permeable to thepassage of air open into a plenum chamber.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 including a plurality of substantially airtight doors optionally openable to give access to at least a selectedcompartment.

29. The apparatus of claim 27 including a substantially air tight damperoptionally openable to vent said plenum chamber.

30. The apparatus of claim 8 including an air permeable crowding screensubstantially along the upper portion of said compartment spaced awayfrom the top of said compartment.

31. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein said crowding screen is optionallyadjustable as to height.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein said screen has selected supportsat selected levels in said compartment.

33. The apparatus of claim 8 including a liner, said liner adapted to beextended along the length of said compartment.

34. The apparatus of claim 33 including a baffle adjacent an end of theliner.

35. The apparatus of claim 34 including means to draw said liner andbaffle toward the closed permeable end of said compartment.

36. The apparatus of claim 10 including a viewing port in said closure.

37. The apparatus of claim 36 including a light inside said compartment.

38. The apparatus of claim 8 including a single door for saidcompartment.

39. The apparatus of claim 15 including a single door for a plurality ofsaid juxtaposed compartment.

40. The apparatus of claim 8 including a means foiremoving said birdsfrom said compartment by withdrawing a liner on the base of saidcompartment.

* III to admit passage of selected

1. A method for loading and carrying a plurality of poultry comprisingthe step of applying a sucking force to a mobile compartment having agenerally air tight body, extending a hose into a first opening into oneportion of such compartment to the presence of a bird, causing a vacuumthrough another opening removed from said first opening in saidcompartment, sucking said bird into said compartment through said hose,and repeating the step of sucking birds into different portions of saidcompartment until a selected number of birds have been sucked into saidcompartment.
 2. The method of claim 1 including the step of removing aplug to an opening in said compartment and introducing said hose intosaid opening.
 3. The method of claim 2 including the step of closingsaid opening in said compartment with an air permeable member, afterloading said birds.
 4. The method of claim 3 wherein said air permeablemember is adjustable and is adjusted to the needs of the birds in saidcompartment.
 5. The method of claim 3 including the step of maintaininga continuous flow of air in said compartment.
 6. The method of claim 4including the step of maintaining a circulation and temperature in saidcompartment conducive to the health of the birds in said compartment. 7.The method of claim 1 wherein a plurality of compartments aresuccessively loaded.
 8. An apparatus for loading and carrying aplurality of birds comprising at least one mobile compartment having agenerally air tight body adapted to hold a plurality of birds; saidcompartment having a first opening large enough to admit the passagetherethrough of selected birds, said opening further having means toreceive a hose, large enough to allow passage therethrough of selectedbirds, and vacuum means connected to another opening in said compartmentto suck birds through said hose into said first opening of saidcompartment.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8 also including a closed endpermeable to the passage of air.
 10. The apparatus of claim 8 includinga closure for said hose opening.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10 whereinsaid closure includes adjustable damping means.
 12. The apparatus ofclaim 8 having air circulating means.
 13. The apparatus of claim 12wherein said air circulation means is thermostatically controlled tomaintain a selected temPerature in said compartment conducive to thehealth of birds in said compartment.
 14. The apparatus of claim 8wherein said vacuum means is a stationary engine.
 15. The apparatus ofclaim 8 including a plurality of juxtaposed compartments of likeconstruction.
 16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein each compartmentincludes a closed end permeable to the passage of air.
 17. The apparatusof claim 15 wherein each said compartment opening includes a closurehaving an opening large enough to admit passage of selected birds. 18.The apparatus of claim 15 wherein each compartment closure opening isadapted to receive a hose large enough to admit the passage of selectedpoultry through said duct.
 19. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein eachcompartment has air circulation means.
 20. The apparatus of claim 19wherein said air circulation means is thermostatically controlled tomaintain the selected temperature in said compartments conducive to thehealth of the birds in said compartments.
 21. The apparatus of claim 15wherein said vacuum means is a stationary engine.
 22. The apparatus ofclaim 15 wherein said compartments are contained in a master container.23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said master container includesvacuum inducing means.
 24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said vacuuminducing means is a stationary engine.
 25. The apparatus of claim 24wherein said stationary engine and master container are unitary andmountable on a truck.
 26. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said hosereceiving portions are mounted on a gate, said gate adapted to closesaid compartments.
 27. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said closedends permeable to the passage of air open into a plenum chamber.
 28. Theapparatus of claim 27 including a plurality of substantially air tightdoors optionally openable to give access to at least a selectedcompartment.
 29. The apparatus of claim 27 including a substantially airtight damper optionally openable to vent said plenum chamber.
 30. Theapparatus of claim 8 including an air permeable crowding screensubstantially along the upper portion of said compartment spaced awayfrom the top of said compartment.
 31. The apparatus of claim 30 whereinsaid crowding screen is optionally adjustable as to height.
 32. Theapparatus of claim 31 wherein said screen has selected supports atselected levels in said compartment.
 33. The apparatus of claim 8including a liner, said liner adapted to be extended along the length ofsaid compartment.
 34. The apparatus of claim 33 including a baffleadjacent an end of the liner.
 35. The apparatus of claim 34 includingmeans to draw said liner and baffle toward the closed permeable end ofsaid compartment.
 36. The apparatus of claim 10 including a viewing portin said closure.
 37. The apparatus of claim 36 including a light insidesaid compartment.
 38. The apparatus of claim 8 including a single doorfor said compartment.
 39. The apparatus of claim 15 including a singledoor for a plurality of said juxtaposed compartment.
 40. The apparatusof claim 8 including a means for removing said birds from saidcompartment by withdrawing a liner on the base of said compartment.